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A case for adult dogs

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When looking for canine companionship, people often opt for a puppy because, well, they're so darn cute. But many also believe adult dogs who've been abandoned or surrendered to shelters are somehow too damaged to make good family pets.

Nonsense. The shelters are bursting with perfectly good dogs who need a little of your tender loving care to make them beloved members of your family--if only people would give them a chance.

Myth: You won't bond as well if you haven't raised the dog yourself.
Reality: Not so. Any age dog can grow very attached to his person, often very quickly. What's more, you'll know just how affectionate your adult dog is when you adopt him, whereas an affectionate puppy may turn into an aloof adult.

Myth: Adult dogs up for adoption must have problems.
Reality: Dogs are abandoned for all sorts of reasons and most of the time it has nothing to do with the dog. The number one reason given for surrendering a dog is "moving." Another is "no time." While this means many shelter dogs arrive without the training they should have gotten, most problems are treatable. The ones with the most serious problems generally aren't offered for adoption.

Myth: If I get an adult dog, I can only get a mutt.
Reality: In fact, twenty-five percent of shelter dogs are purebreds, and many breed rescue groups have purebreds looking for homes. If your heart is set on a particular breed, chances are good you can find an adult dog. But--we have to ask--why wouldn't you want a mutt?

Still wondering?

If you're still trying to decide whether to adopt an adult dog, consider the advantage of knowing what you're getting. With an adult you generally know if he's good with kids, or makes a good running companion, or isn't too barky. Puppiness is adorable, to be sure, but it often masks a dog's true personality.


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Comments

I adopted my black Lab when he was 5 years old and he is as bonded to me as my Goldador that I hand raised. I wish that people would realize that older dogs do bond with their new people and can be trained.” — ivycat, Jul 07 2008

my 3 year old shihtzu,"pippi" saved my life by becoming my "service". dog she has brought me so many smiles where there hadn't been many for years. she is my
soul mate. also she has brought so much happiness to the older tenants in my apartment. she is definitely our mascot - even a few people who are not dog lovers smile when i bring her into the lobby. mzany of them love to haver sit on their laps which she loves.
— MBUBBLES40, Jun 29 2008

I moved onto a property thathad a dog hanging around, I think the people before me abandoned. As I have found chains and tethers in my yard that she avoids at all costs.She actually walks around them. At first she would not come near me, she was skinny and looked really abused. One night I got to close to her little place she called home behind my shed and she bit me, paralyzed my thumb. But I feel she was just trying to protect herself. Little did I know she had a litter of pups on the way. I started feeding her and noticed her belly growing. I called animal control and they could 'Not Catch Her". (Now I thank God they did not because they would have destroyed her) Told me not to feed her starve her and she would go away. Well I am an animal lover. I have two other rescues a chiuhaua, and I think a poodle cross. Both abandoned. I also have my own Daisy who is chiuahaua. So One early frosty morning she had her puppies in my rose bushes. She trusted me and my son enough to get a blanket under her and her pups and move them into a insulated shed I had sitting empty. She had 7 beautiful american bulldogs, look almost purebred according to a veternarian I showed their pictures too. Now I call mama "Shadow" because she shadows me wherever I go. She is a good mom and has learned to trust me enough to letme feed her by hand and pet her. And now she lets my son and daughter in law help her with the pups. Most of them have homes already, but they still have a couple of weeks of bonding with mom before I will let them go. I have read all the literature I can find on Animal Rescues and your site has been the most helpful.. Once the pups are with their new homes, I am going to tranquilze mom and take her to the vet and have her spayed and given a good physical and all her shots. Then I am building a fenced yard for her. And I am keeping one of her pups. But I just want people to know that rescue pets who have been abused need love too and she has become one of the most loyal dogs I have ever had. She waits for me at my driveway everyday when I come home and she alerts me when someone is on the property. She is truly one of my prize winning pups. I just wish there were more organizations who could help people like me who are having a financial hard time doing this. I make my own dog food for the puppies and moms get what they do not eat. And little treats I am able to buy once in awhile. She gets along with my other dogs. She is probably about 4 years old and does not deserve to go through the grewling physical stress that having puppies puts on a dog. So spay your pups people if you dont want to adopt an adult dog maybe this will make you think again.Sillygirlterri51” — sillygirlter..., May 05 2008

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